190. The future destinies of this remarkable people are dimly revealed in Holy Writ; but it may well be our aspiration, that the Lord should, in His own good time, "build up Jerusalem, and gather together the outcasts of Israel.” We find ground for hope in St. Paul's cheering and inspired question, "I say then, Hath God cast away His people? God forbid?!" and we trust that, although they, "the natural branches," were "broken off" "because of unbelief," yet that they shall one day again "be graffed into their own olive-tree."

191. The past prosperity of the Jews is in painful contrast to their present degradation. The writer of the book of the Maccabees gives the following touching picture of their halcyon days; "Then did they till their ground in peace, and the earth gave her increase; the ancient men sat all in the streets, communing together of good things; and the young men put on glorious and warlike apparel. He made peace in the land, and Israel rejoiced with great joy, for every man sat under his vine and his fig-tree, and there was none to fray them"."

• Ps. cxlvii. 2.

Rom. xi. 20-24.

P Rom. xi. 1.

1 Macc. xiv. 12.

192. Very different is the state of persecution predicted by Moses, and actually undergone by many of the children of Israel at this very day. "The Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even to the other." 'Among these nations thou shalt find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest." "Thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life: in the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fears." This state of continual alarm and suspense was fully realized a few years since by the Jews of Damascus, who endured a severe persecution.

193. It should be our prayer that God's chosen people, who have so long sung "the Lord's song in a strange land," may be restored to their own native Canaan, and that "the vail which is upon their heart" shall be done away in Christ. Meanwhile to us they serve as a beacon and as a living witness to the truth of God's holy word; and the believer, who ponders over the present condition of the Jew and

Deut. xxviii. 64-67.

t 2 Cor. iii. 14-17.

the Arab, and reflects upon the existing state of the Land of Canaan, will feel that "this hath God done, for he shall perceive that it is

His work."

སྙ

SUPPLEMENT.

1. WHAT are the various names of the Holy Land ? and its size?

2. State the types connected with the Israelites.

3. Which are the boundaries of Canaan?

4. Which are the five divisions treated of in this book?

5. Which are the chief associations of Judæa? 6. Who were the original inhabitants of Canaan? 7. State the report of the spies sent by Moses. 8. What is the relative antiquity of Hebron ? 9. What is the modern name of Hebron ? 10. Shew the correspondence of the site of Hebron with the history of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

11. What are the peculiarities of the "Dead Sea?" 12. What is the level of the valley of the Jordan? 13. What government explored the Jordan and Dead Sea?

14. Where are the pools of Solomon ?

15. Describe Bethlehem and the rival Christian communions.

16. What was David's occupation during his youth? 17. State seven peculiarities of eastern flocks and shepherds.